Frieren's Cursed Warrior (Frieren x Male Reader)

Chapter 17

Y/n's POV

"We're getting close. I doubt we have much farther until we reach the bottom," Frieren noted as she, Fern, Sense, and I made our way through the Ruins of the King's Tomb.

"Look, Mistress Frieren," Fern said, pointing ahead. At the far end of the hall, a staircase descended into shadow. To our right, towering statues from the Unified Dynasty Era loomed in silent watch, each carved with painstaking detail. But something felt off. My gaze was drawn to a central pillar between two of the statues, and I stopped in my tracks. Frieren seemed to notice it, too.

"Fern, the map, quickly," Frieren said, her tone sharper now. Fern and Sense turned back, glancing between us and the pillar.

"I believe we've already covered this floor," Fern said, tilting her head as she consulted the map—a map made from mana. But I could feel it; something was hidden here, cloaked beyond sight.

"There's an opening behind this pillar," I muttered, placing my hand against the stone, feeling a faint, hollow vibration beneath it.

Frieren's eyes lit up as she pressed her ear against the pillar. "There's definitely a hidden room back there," she said with a gleam in her eye. "There's treasure—I can just feel it!"

Fern frowned, studying the map more closely. "But I don't see any mention of a passage here. Maybe there's a secret lever or a button?"

I chuckled, drawing my sword from mana. "Well, if there's one thing I taught my companions over the years, it's that there's more than one way to open a door."

Fern looked at me, half-concerned, half-intrigued. "What do you intend to do?"

I smirked. "You might want to stand back."

With a swift, powerful strike, I swung my sword into the pillar, sending chunks of stone scattering. The impact revealed a narrow staircase hidden behind it, dimly lit by flickering candles ascending upwards.

Frieren smiled. "A secret passage! I knew it! There's got to be a grimoire here!"

Fern sighed. "Well, looks like we've found ourselves another detour."

"After you," I said, gesturing toward the staircase, and with that, we ascended.

"Your methods are... peculiar," Sense commented quietly, casting me a sidelong glance.

I shrugged. "Sometimes you just have to brute-force things. Saves time and trouble."

A bit of silence passed as we climbed. Fern glanced over her shoulder. "While we're walking, can you tell Mistress Frieren and I more about your travels, Mister Y/n?" she asked. Her tone was curious but cautious.

I was a little surprised by her question, seeing that she was interested. "I suppose I could," I replied, thinking back. "One time, Engel and I found ourselves in the Royal Capital. He was there to be officially knighted as a paladin by the King himself. Naturally, he'd never met the King before, and to say he was unprepared for the formalities would be an understatement." I spoke. Sense listened quietly, although I could feel her eyes pierce through me as she was still trying to decipher me.

Frieren hummed, a smile tugging at her lips. "Himmel was the same way. When we met the King, he nearly called him 'old man' out of habit."

I chuckled. "That sounds familiar. Engel acted like he was greeting an old friend. He didn't even bow properly. I had to talk our way out of it; if it weren't for me, he might've lost his paladinship on the very day he earned it."

Fern laughed softly, seeming to picture it. "He sounds like quite the character. You know, you've never told us what he looked like." She tilted her head.